SMALLER, DENSER LDL PARTICLES ARE NOT A RISK FACTOR FOR CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE IN HEALTHY NONAGENARIAN WOMEN OF THE CREMONA-POPULATION-STUDY

We evaluated LDL particle size and its relation with other established risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a group of healthy nonagen arian (greater than or equal to 90 years) women participating in the C remona Population Study. A group of younger healthy postmenopausal wom en (45-75 years) was used as control group. Nonagenarian women had sig nificantly lower body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressur e, and fasting insulin concentrations. Plasma total, LDL and HDL chole sterol, apo Al and apo B concentrations, and LpAI and LpAI:AII particl es were significantly lower in the nonagenarian group as well. LDL par ticle size (262.7 +/- 0.9 vs. 270.1 +/- 1.1 Angstrom) was also lower i n the nonagenarian group. The presence of the E4 isoform of apo E in t he nonagenarian group resulted in significantly higher levels of plasm a apo AI and LpAI:AII particles, and a trend toward larger LDL particl es, and a lower diastolic blood pressure. In conclusion, smaller and d enser LDL particles might not represent an important risk factor for c ardiovascular disease in healthy nonagenarian women of the Cremona Pop ulation Study, characterised by a reduced number of LDL particles and other protective factors, like low systolic and diastolic blood pressu re, body mass index, and plasma insulin levels. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.